The 74th Annual Meeting of the Japan Esophageal Society

The 74th Annual Meeting of the Japan Esophageal Society (JES) is scheduled to be held at the Awagin Hall and JR Hotel Clement Tokushima in Tokushima City on June 11 (Thu) and 12 (Fri), 2020. I am proud and honored to have the opportunity to serve as the President of this Annual Meeting, with its long history and tradition created by our predecessors. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the President of the JES, Yuichiro Doki, and also to all members of the JES.

2020 is a memorial year that the 32nd Olympic Games are hosted in Tokyo again. Prior 18th Olympic Games was held on October 10th to 24th, 1964.

The Japanese Society for Esophageal Diseases (JSED) (the predecessor of JES) has established on August 1st, 1965. The first meeting of JSED has been held at the Bizan Hotel in Tokushima city on October 18th, 1965 during the 18th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery which was served by Professor Dr. Kikuo Takahashi who was the first chairman of our department.

Therefore, this meeting is the 55th year anniversary, count it from the first meeting in Tokushima. The society has developed as an interdisciplinary society covering many fields and both basic and clinical research, and has led the world in the treatment of and research on esophageal diseases. As one of the leading countries of the world in the management of esophageal diseases, we have to further improve the treatment outcomes of those diseases, especially of esophageal cancer.

We have named “Encounter and Creation” as the main theme of this 74th Annual Meeting. We would like to hold the meeting with the message. Encounter is the first step to create something. We would like to learn the history of the development concerning the diagnosis and the therapeutic strategy of diseases of the esophagus, and make the further development of the esophagology by the all Japan framework of JES.
The development of diagnosis and treatment strategies for esophageal cancer was so rapid in this century. Diagnosis for the superficial esophageal cancer has developed with advancement of the endoscopic technology. Endoscopic mucosal resection has been sublimated to the endoscopic submucosal dissection by technological innovation.

Robotic and mediastinoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer started to be covered by Japanese health insurance system in 2018.

Twenty-five years ago, I tried to make a mediastinoscope which fit to small Japanese patient’s body and can make a clear visualization of the mediastinum. I encountered many supporters who gave me a lot of idea and opportunity to realize the dream. The new mediastinoscope that we made supplied us a marvelous visualization of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve (LRRN) nodes, which has been the most difficult portion to visualize even with a thoracoscope. The LRRN nodes dissection became easier with the mediastinoscopic wider visualization from the left cervical incision. I also found sentinel lymph node (SLN) theory could be applied to esophageal cancer surgery after a lot of experiences of the radical esophagectomy with the mediastinoscopic approach. We developed 3D-CT lymphography to visualize the lymph network of the esophagus which spread from the mediastinum to the abdomen and the neck among the 3D anatomical structures during the ordinary enhanced CT scan to detect distant metastasis preoperatively. Many encounter accelerated the creation of those new technology.

Preoperative chemotherapy has become the standard strategy for advanced esophageal cancer. Survival rate has been improved with this preoperative chemo(radio)therapy, a precise lymph nodes dissection, and perioperative multidisciplinary managements. We also need to make an effort to improve the quality of life (QOL) of patients suffering from esophageal cancer and their families. Not only doctors, but also all categories of health professionals including researchers are required to concern about healthcare of them. Multidisciplinary team approach by the healthcare professionals improved the QOL of the operated patients by the application of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol. Nutritional support team (NST) has also improved the early and late phase recovery of the patients. Recently, mental health care approach has been playing an important role not only for the postoperative state patients but for the survivors after the treatment.

Based on awareness of the history and development that mentioned above, we planned many sessions; Special (Encounter and Creation) session, Video symposium, symposium, panel discussion, workshop and several debate sessions, etc. that promoting discussions of the JES members from different fields, those involved in basic and clinical researchers, doctors and the other health professionals, both veterans and young members, to realize the main theme “Encounter and Creation”.

Special lecture will be given by Ms. Kaoru Takada, who is the famous writer of the best seller novels ”Miotsukushi recipes”, “Ai forever” and the other novelettes in Japanese Edo era. Main theme of her novels is Cooking, wellness, and encounter.

We would like to do best to make the meeting fruitful in Tokushima, where the practice for AWA ODORI Festival on August 12nd to 15th would be started from every twilight here and there at the riverside. Please enjoy the entertainment and join the practice, they would be willing to teach you how to dance AWAODORI.

Lastly, I would greatly appreciate for you all members’ help and truly hope that the meeting would have a large attendance.